Rotary engine.



. PATENTBD AUG. 28, 1906.

I. ABBOTT. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIGATION FILED ma. s. 1905.

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PATBNTED AUG. 28, 1906*.

I. ABBOTT. ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIcATIoN FILED rn'. e. 1005.

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LNI/'ENTOR 1H: nmmls ranks co., wAsHmafoN. n. c.

No. 829,499. PATENTED AUG. 28, 1906.

' I. ABBUTT.

ROTARY ENGINE.

-APPLIOATIGN FILM; 2312.6. 1905.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

WITJV'ESSES.

fnl: NORM: PlrsRs eo., WASHINGTON. o. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RQTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 28, 1906.

Application filed February 6, 1905. Serial No. 244.268.

T0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, IRA ABBOTT, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Wyandotte, in the county of Wayne and State ofMichigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in RotaryEngines,` of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in compound rotary engines inwhich live steam or a similar motive agent is admitted into the firstcylinder and used expansively in the several succeeding cylinders; andan object of the invention is to provide a construction employing aseries` of cylinders of equal size, ywith steam-passages so arrangedthat the steam from the first cylinder is divided among two or more ofthe next succeeding cylinders and is again divided as it passes fromthese cylinders among several of the neXt succeeding ones to provide fortheA proper amount of expansion without the necessity of greatlyincreasing the size of the succeeding cylinders over that of the first.

lt is also an object of the invention to so construct the casing formingthe cylinders as to greatly facilitate and cheapen the manufacture ofthe engine and to provide suitable means for simultaneously shifting thereversing-valves to reverse the engine.

A further object is to provide a construction which is very compact andefficient and has the several advantages of the particular construction,arrangement, and combination of parts, all as hereinafter more fullydescribed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which-Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of a device embodying theinvention with three of the cylinders removed, one in vertical sectionand two in side elevation. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the lower half ofthe casing forming the cylinders and showing the end heads in section;Fig. 3, a transverse vertical section of the device on the line ac :n ofFig. 1 and showing the piston in elevation, Fig. 4, a similar section onthe line y y of Fig. 1; Fig. 5, a detail perspective view of the lowerpart of one of the internal cylinderheads, and Fig. 6 a similar view ofthe upper part of the same.

As shown in the drawings, 1 is a suitable cast base upon which issupported a casing or body made in halves, the lower half 2 being boltedto the base, or it may be cast integral therewith, and the upper half 3flanged and bolted to the lower half to form the cylindrical body orcasing, which is bored out to form a series of cylinders 4 of equal sizeand provided with grooves 5 between the internal faces of the cylindersto receive a series of internal ring-shaped heads 6 for separating thecylinders, outer heads 7 being bolted to the ends of the body to closethe same and provided with stuflingboXes S, through which the shaft 9extends, said shaft being supported at its ends outside said boxes insuitable bearings 10.

Rigidly secured upon said shaft 9 and eX- tending the full length of thecasing is a hub 11, having formed integral therewith a series of rotarypistons 12, one for each cylinder 4 and of considerably less diameterthan said cylinders, said shaft and pistons being supportedeccentrically within the cylinders or casing, with the lower sides ofsaid pistons in contact with the bottoms of thecylinders to serve asabutments for preventing the steam from passing around the pistons andto form a steam-space above each piston within the cylinders. In eachpiston are two oppositely-extending radial slots 13 to receive theradially-movable blades 14, the outer end of each of which is constantlyheld in contact with the face of its cylinder by providing each with astud or roller 15 at each end to engage openings in guide-blocks 16,mov'able in grooves 17 in the ring-shaped heads 6 and in the outer heads7, said grooves being arranged concentric with the cylinders.

The pistons are preferably cast integral with a continuous hub tofacilitate the manufacture of the device, it being possible when soconstructed to secure them to the shaft 'and then turn all up at once,thus insuring accuracy of alinement and uniformity of size and spacing,and to permit the ready assembling of the device when so constructed theinternal heads 6 are made in the form of removable rings formed in twosections 18 and 19, (shown in Figs. 5 and 6,) the section 19 being justlarge enough to permit the hub portion 11 to pass into the center of thering and said sections fit together toform a perfect ring and are heldin alinement with each other by a tongue-and-groove connection 20. Forthe purpose of making these rings lighter cient size.

and cheaper they are cast hollow, as shown, and to prevent them fromturning in their grooves 5 each is provided with a lug or pin 21 at thebottom of its section 18 to engage a hole in the casing.

An intake and an exhaust port 22 and 23, respectively, are formed ineach cylinder 4 at each side thereof, and. the inner face of the lowerhalf 2 of the cylinder is grooved or cut away in line with these portsto receive a slide-valve 24, which is of such a length that when movedlongitudinally in its groove in one direction one end will cover theexhaustport at that side of the cylinder, and the oposite end will bemoved from over the exaust-port at the opposite side, and openings 25are also provided in each of said valves to 'coincide with theintake-ports, said openings being so arranged that when' the valve ismoved to close the exhaust-port at one side of the cylinder the openingin that side of the valve will be moved into coincidence with itsintake-port, and the opening at the opposite side will close its port.These valves thus operate to reverse the engine by causing the steam toenter the opposite side of the cylinder, and to move said valvessimultaneously each is formed on its lower side with a series ofgear-teeth 26, engaged by a sector 27, secured on a rock-shaft 28,extending longitudinally within the base 1 and mounted in bearingstherein, the casing being formed with openings 29, in which the sectorsmove.

The shaft 28 is rocked in its' bearings to move the sectors and shiftthe valves by securing a sector 30 upon one end thereof, which sectorextends upward through a slot in the base between thesupporting-standards of one of the bearings 10 and is engaged by a worm31 on a transverse shaft 32,

l mounted in bearings on said standards and provided with a hand-wheel33 at each end, by means of which the shaft 32 is turned to actuate theworm and shift the sector. It is evident that a lever might besubstituted for the sector or that the means for shifting said sectormight be differently arranged.

It is proposed in this engine to use the steam expansively, the steambeing admitted at boiler-pressure to the first cylinder and exhaustedfrom this cylinder into the two next succeeding cylinders and from thesetwo cylinders into the next three, the engine being constructed with sixcylinders, but it may be made with a greater or lesser number, accordingto the use to which it is to be put and the power required. We preferthis construction, as the cylinders may then be made all of the samesize, thus making the parts interchangeable and the blades of the mosteili- Steam is admitted to the first cylinder through an. opening 34 atits top, which connects with a passage 35, extending entirely around thecylinder and communicating with both of the inlet-ports 22 in saidcylinden From the exhaust-port at one side of the first cylinder, asshown in heavy dotted lines in Fig. 2, a passage a extends downward andbranches into two equal parts c d, which leadaround to the intake-portsat the opposite sides of the second and third cylinders, and from eachexhaust-port of the second cylinder a passage e leads downward and isdivided into two branches f g of unequal capacity, branch f being ofsuch a size that two-thirds of the steam will be conducted around to theintake-port of the fourth cylinder and branch g, uniting with branch 7Lof the passage i, leading from the exhaust of the third cylinder, willsupply an equal amount -to the intake of the fifth cylinder, the branchy' of said passage/L conducting two-thirds of the steam from saidpassage around to the intake ofthe sixth cylinder.

The passages k, Z, and m, leading from the exhaust-ports of the fourth,fifth, andsixth cylinders, respectively, unite in a suitableexhaust-passage n, opening outward through the end of the base. Thepassages leading from the exhaust-ports at one side of the cylinder arethe same as those leading from the exhausts at the opposite sidethereof, and therefore the steam may be sent either way through thecylinders by shifting the reversing-valves.

Screwed into openings in the upper half 3 of the casing opposite eachinternal head 6 is an oil-cup 36, and a small tube 37, secured. in eachsection 19 of said heads, conducts the oil from said cups downward tosuitable passages leading to the grooves 17 in said heads to lubricatethe same and prevent the blocks 16 from binding or wearing.

The bearings 10 for the engine-shaft are provided with the ordinarybrasses 38, made in halves, and the lower halves are made adjustablevertically to allow for wear and keep the shaft supported at exactly thesame distance from the bottom of the casing by providing set-screws 39,extending through the bearing and engaging the bottom of said brasses toraise the same.

The heads of the cylinders being all removable and the casing made inhalves, said casing may be put into a lathe and the cylinders faced up,and at the same time the grooves 5 for the internal heads and thegrooves for the valves 24 may be formed, thus greatly facilitating itsmanufacture.

In assembling the engine the sections 18 of the internal heads are firstset in place in their grooves, the external heads slipped upon the endsof the engine-shaft in contact with the end pistons, and the pistonsthen set into the casing with the internal heads between and the shaftresting in its bearings. The blades, with their guide-blocks, are thenslipped into place, the upper sections 19 of the internal heads placedin position, and the upper half of the casing then bolted down,

the bolting of said casing firmly clamping the internal heads andpreventing any possibility of their getting out of place or turning.

It will be seen that with this construction a very compact, powerful,and efficienty compound rotary engine having all of the advantages of anengine of this type may be manufactured at a minimum cost.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim is- 1. In acompound rotary engine, the combination of a casing dividedlongitudinally into two parts and providedwith `aseries of grooves inits internal face forming a series of cylinders between and providedwith i passages for connecting steam from one to another of saidcylinders, removable internal heads set in the said grooves in the`casing between the cylinders and clamped therein by the securingtogether of the two parts of the casing, a shaft extendinglongitudinally through the casing and heads, and a series of rotarypistons on said shaft within the cylinders and provided with movableblades.

2. In a compound rotary engine, the combination of a casing made inhalves and provided with a series of grooves in its internal faceforming a series of cylinders between, a series of steam-passagesconnecting the cylinders, ring-shaped heads to engage the said groovesand provided with grooves formed concentric with the cylinders, externalheads bolted to the ends of the casing and provided with groovesconcentric with the cylinders, a

` shaft supported eccentrically within the casing by bearings at eachend of said casing and extending through the external heads and theaxial openings in the ring-shaped heads, rotary pistons supported bysaidshaft with their lower sides in contact with the lower sides of thecylinders and provided with radial slots, blades in said slots, andguideblocks in the grooves in the heads to guide the blades.

3. In a compound rotary engine, the combination with a series of rotarypistons mounted on a common shaft and provided with blades; of a casingdivided by internal heads into a series of cylinders to receive saidpistons each of which is provided with an intake-port at one side and anexhaust-port at the opposite side, said casing being formed with apassage for admitting steam to the intake-port of the iirst cylinder ofthe series, a passage leading from the exhaust-port of said firstcylinder and divided into two equal passages opening into theintake-ports of the second and third cylinders, and passages leadingfrom the exhaust-ports of the second and third cylinders into theintake-ports of three or .more of the succeeding cylinders in theseries.

4. In a compound rotary engine, the combination with a series of rotarypistons mounted upon a common shaft and provided lwithblades; of acasing divided by internal heads intoa series of cylinders to receivesaid pistons 'which pistons contact the cylinders atltheirllower sideonly and each of which cylinders is'provided with an intake and anexhaust port at each side of this point of contact, `and said casingbeing formed with a pas- -sage extending around the first cylinder in`the series and communicating with both of `around to the intake-portsof the second. and

third cylinders on the opposite side of the casing, and passages leadingfrom the exhaustports of the second and third cylinders at each side ofthe casing and each divided into two ori'more passages leading around tothe intake-ports of the succeeding cylinders at the opposite side of thecasing; valves for controllingthe admission of steam into the cylindersthrough said ports; and means for operating said valves simultaneously.

5. In a compound rotary engine, the combination with a series of rotarypistons mounted upon a common shaft and provided with movable blades; ofa casing divided by internal heads into a series of cylinders connectedby steam-passages formed in the casing and within which cylinders thepistons are supported by their shaft with their lower sides in contactwith the surface of the cylin ders and each of which cylinders is formedwith an intake and an exhaust port at each side of said contact-pointand provided with a groove in its inner face between said ports;slide-valves to fit within said grooves and movable longitudinallytherein to open and close said ports; and means for moving said valvessimultaneously.

6. In a compound rotary engine, the combination with a series of rotarypistons mounted upon a shaft and provided with movable blades; of acasing divided by internal heads into a series of cylinders for saidVpistons connected by steam-passages formed in the casing and each ofwhich cylinders is provided with an intake and. an exhaust port at eachside and formed with a groove in the lower side of its internal facebetween said ports and the casing being formed with holes openingthrough its lower side into the said grooves; slide-valves to fit withinthe said grooves and provided with openings to register with the portsand with gear-teeth on their lower sides opposite the said holes in thecasing; a rock-snaft mounted in bearings and extending longitudinally ofthe casing opposite said holes, sectors secured on said rockshaft andextending upward in the holes into engagement with the teeth on thevalves; and means for rocking said rock-shaft to shift said valvessimultaneously.

7. In a compound rotary engine, the combination of a casing dividedhorizontally into IOO an upper and a lower part and forming a series ofcylinders, the lower part being formed with intake and exhaust ports foreach cylinder and with steam-passages connecting said ports; internalring-shaped heads to separate the cylinders and each formed of a lowersection and an upper detachable section; a shaft; rotary pistons securedon said shaft, and spaced thereon by their hub portions to fit withinthe cylinders with the said hub portions extending through the axialopenings in the ring-shaped heads; and detachable heads on the ends ofthe casing.

8. In a compound rotary engine, the combination of a casing dividedhorizontally into an upper and a lower'part open at each end andprovided with a series of intern al grooves forming a series ofcylinders in the casing between said grooves, the lower part of thecasing being formed with intake and exhaust ports for each cylinder andsteam-passages connecting said ports 3 detachable rings forming internalheads for the cylinders engaging the said grooves and each consisting ofan upper and a lower section connected by tongues and grooves 5 externalheads bolted to the endsl of the easing 3 a shaft supported in bearingsat each end of the casing; a hub portion of a length equal to that ofthe casing secured on the shaft; rotary pistons formed integral withsaid hub portion and provided with radial slots; and movable blades insaid slots.

9. In a compound rotary engine, the combination of a casing forming aseries of cylinders provided with intake and exhaust ports andsteam-passages connecting said ports, ring-shaped members within thecasing forming heads between the cylinders and provided with groovesconcentric with the cylinders, rotary pistons supported within thecylinders with one side of eaeh in contact with the surface of thecylinder and each provided with radial slots, blades movable in saidslots, studs on the ends of said blades, guide-blocks in the grooves inthe heads provided with openings to receive the studs, tubes extendingdownward into the heads from their upper sides and communicating withthe grooves in said heads at their inner ends, and

oil-cups screwed into openings in the casing and communicating withsaid. tubes.

l0. In a compound rotary engine, the combination of a base; a casing onthe base divided horizontally into an upper and a lower part flanged andbolted together and provided with a series of internal grooves withspaces between forming the internal face of a series of cylinders, eachof which cylinders is provided with an intake and an exhaust port ateach side and a groove in its face connect ing said ports, and the lowerpart of the casing being formed with steam-passages connecting theexhaust-ports of one cylinder with the intake-ports of two or more ofthe succeeding cylinders; a series of ring-shaped heads engaging thegrooves between the faces of the cylinders and formed in two sece tionsprovided with guide-grooves in each side concentric with the cylinders;a pin on each ring-shaped head engaging a hole in the casing to preventthe head from turning; external heads provided with stuffing-boxes andbolted to the ends of the casing 5 bearings at the ends of the casing ashaft mounted in said bearings and extending through the 'stuffing-boxesand the axial openings in the internal heads; a hub portion of a lengthequal to the length of the casing secured upon said shaft; a series ofrotary pistons having radial slots formed integral with said hubportion; blades in said slots; guide-blocks for the blades in thegrooves in the heads; valves movable longitudinally in the grooves inthe faces of the cylinders and provided with openings to coincide withthe ports and with gearteeth on their lower sides a rock-sh aft mountedin bearings on the base sectors secured on said rock-shaft in engagementwith the teeth on the valves 5 a sector on the end of the saidrock-shaft; a worm to engage and move said sector; and a hand-wheel toturn said worm.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

' IRA ABBOTT.. Witnesses:

OTTO F. BARTHEL, THosS. LoNGsTAFF.

